Taking it easy

Since last Wednesday, we've been having an amazing and relaxing time with our friends Tony and Carol Cooper and their daughter Claire who live in a beautiful old Victorian farm house, just outside the charming village of South Nutfield in Surrey.

We met Tony and Carol two years ago in Bermuda. They are a wonderful Christian couple and fantastic hosts.

This morning we took the train into London and attended Holy Trinity Brompton Church, known around the world as the home of the Alpha course. They have four services -- 9:30, 11:30, 5 and 7. We opted for 9:30. We arrived just after 9 on a glorious summer day and we warmly welcomed by several very young people who were part of a hospitality team who provided me with my first cup of coffee.

We discovered that this was the family service that most of the young children attend. The church soon filled up with young families. There were 300-400 in attendance. Nicky Gumbel, the vicar and inspiration behind the Alpha course, welcomed everyone and prayed and then the most high energy service I've been at for a long time commenced. It was clearly geared to holding the interest of children, but with a message that parents and other adults could relate to. Nicky returned at the end to bless us on our way, and we were done in just under an hour.

Here we are with Nicky Gumbel.

Today was the start of something called Big Summer Sunday. The old church yard (cemetery) has been turned into a beautiful green space. They had bouncy castles and pedal cars and food and drinks set up for the community to come and enjoy. People from the church brought picnics and were sitting together eating.

We were recognized by a couple who sat in front of us in church. They invited us to join them. They lead a "pastorate" which is kind of a cluster group -- bigger than a small group -- of which there are several at HTB. They told us a few things that we didn't know about HTB.

As long ago as 1985, HTB began the practice of sending out teams of people to other Anglican churches that have either closed or are on the verge of closing to revitalize them. One nearby church is St. Paul's Onslow Square which is now part of a two-congregation parish with HTB. The services between the two are staggered by 30 minutes -- 9 at St. Paul's, 9:30 at HTB, etc. Nicky starts and ends each service and rides his bike back and forth between the two!!

We also learned that each service has a different focus. The 9 a.m. service at St. Paul's is quite traditional with organ and choir, in recognition of the fact that there are still many people for whom traditional worship is very nourishing. Transitioning churches need to remember that. The 7 p.m. service is where many (not all) of the younger adults attend.

HTB is now launching another revitalization initiative at a church in Brighton that seats 900+ and has about 20 in attendance. A group from HTB is committing themselves to going in and reestablishing an energetic ministry in that place.

HTB has become a kind of centre of spiritual energy through the phenomenon of the Alpha course and the other ministries that have spun off from it. There are a lot of people in my own denomination who are really suspicious of Alpha because it doesn't fit into a particular "inclusivity" ethos. But so many of the churches we've visited are infectiously welcoming because they have a passion for the Gospel of Christ who was radically welcoming. I also know that the Alpha course brought the faith of several people in my church to life. It was the first time they encountered faith as a life-transforming power and it's made a huge difference in our congregation.